


Caught and Trapped (By You)

by funfan



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Developing Relationship, First Kiss, Hate to Love, M/M, Marco is a scientist, Nuri is a soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-15 08:46:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3440858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funfan/pseuds/funfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco Reus is an archeologist who gets into an unwanted situation on his first exploration on the planet of Erebus when he gets trapped inside an ancient pyramid. And the man trapped with him knows whom to blame: Marco.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caught

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Blue Night! This fic is entirely for you, I hope you will enjoy it. You've been a fantastic support for me and consider this my humble way of saying thank you. I hope this story will bring a smile to your face in these tough times for you. If nothing else comes out of this, it's already worth it. :-)
> 
> It is my first attempt at writing sci-fi and apart from the setting, nothing will be really 'science' about it. Please let me know how did I do, your feedback is the most precious thing to me. :-)

“Scout Squad Delta, proceed to gate S. Scout Squad Delta, proceed to gate S.” The loudspeaker blared in the hangar-like room.

_We are already here_ , major Nuri Şahin grumbled as he checked his equipment. He had everything with him that he would need: spare bullets for his gun, a flashlight, water and a minimalistic medical kit that wasn’t mandatory but he still felt safer if he had it with him. Not that he didn’t trust their squad’s medic; Matze might have been young but he was experienced and could take care of any form of injuries. Nuri had faith in all his brothers-in-arms. There was no other way to survive in the hostile environment of planet Erebus.

The first humans had arrived here five years earlier, in search for the secret knowledge of the Na-ghok, a civilization inferior to humankind in many ways but their ancient understanding of the universe’s laws were desperately needed by Earth dealing with an energy crisis. Five years had passed though, and Project Prometheus couldn’t show anything more than the billions it had cost to the world government.

And the new scientists that Nuri’s squad had to escort to examine one of the Na-ghok’s pyramids didn’t seem to be able to change that. They were a treat for the eyes, Nuri couldn’t argue with that, but their eyes were no windows to two incredible minds. They were roughly the same height, the blonde one shorter by a few centimeters and he looked the more fragile one from the two of them. _This will be his first and last expedition_ , Nuri thought. His name was Marco, if major Şahin remembered correctly. And he was pretty sure he remembered correctly because the young archeologist caught his attention right when he had arrived at their base. He didn’t look ready to face the threats of Erebus, but Nuri didn’t mind it. Maybe he only needed a good guide, he smirked inwardly.

On the other hand, his colleague, Erik was a lot different. His muscles could be seen even through the many layers of his protective clothing. He had strong arms and legs, the latter would come in handy if they had to run away from a danger. And on Erebus it was more than probable.

“Can we go?” Nuri’s second-in-command, lieutenant Sven Bender stopped in front of his leader, blocking his view on the two young scientists.

“Yes.” Nuri nodded and he walked to the gate, followed by four soldiers and Matze showing the way to the greenhorn archeologists.

They gathered around in a circle, all eyes fixed on Nuri. Everyone around him was German just like almost everyone at Base 9; that’s why it was dubbed Base Berlin. During his four years of service, Nuri had learned the language too. It was much easier to get through his messages and instructions and it had been a good way of passing his free time.

“Okay, everyone listen to me.” He started. “This is supposed to be a routine patrol and I don’t want anyone to change it.” He looked at the scientists, resting his eyes a bit longer on Marco. “We will go to the pyramid, have a look at it, explore two new chambers and then come back. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, you inform everyone on radio and we will retreat. Do I make myself clear?”

Everyone nodded.

“Good. I will lead our group, followed by İlkay. You two will be in the middle.” He pointed at the novices. “If we start firing, you drop to the ground and pray to your gods that we survive. Marcel, Mats, you will secure the flanks. Matze and Sven, you will end the line. Let’s go! Fall in!”

On his command, his men started to line up in formation and Nuri saw from the corner of his eyes that the two archeologists stumbled to the center of the circle of soldiers. Nuri shook his head disbelievingly. He had no idea how could anyone send people to Erebus without any formal military training. There had been an initiative on Base 9 to give their scientists some basic training, but it hadn’t turned out well. So they stuck to these exploring squads full of skilled soldiers rather than ignorant noobs doing more harm than good.

The red light next to the base’s gate lit up and the huge door started to ascend. Nuri heard a loud gasp from behind; it had to be Marco or Erik. The major didn’t wait until the door stopped. He waved his men and their company started off.

The air of Erebus was very similar to Earth’s. It was breathable but it needed some getting used to because of the slightly higher amount of oxygen. Most of the planet’s surface was covered with sea and Erebus being close to its Sun, the humidity reached ungodly levels during the day. Just as Nuri stepped out of the base’s air conditioned rooms, he felt his clothes stick to his body.

The vegetation was very similar to that of Earth’s tropic rainforests, only everything was twice as dangerous as on humankind’s home. Their contingent had learnt a lot in the years it had spent on this distant planet but Nuri still remembered the fate of the first explorers and the laborious clearing of the path that led from the base to Na-ghok’s main pyramid. He had been part of it, one of the more fortunate. The world government hadn’t understood why they had needed reinforcements all the time, but then they hadn’t stepped on Erebus’ soil. Every single meter they got forward demanded a human life and by the time they had reached the pyramid, Nuri had been sick of this place.

But he couldn’t have left. His salary was four times the average pay of an Earth soldier and his family living in one of the world’s slums could use his money very well. Whom was Nuri kidding? Everyone on Earth lived in a gigantic slum and his salary barely helped his relatives to lead a life that was still far from being decent.

They were already halfway to their destination. The road that had cost so many lives that most of the soldiers called it Blood Road was ten meters wide and there was a five meters tall wall keeping away the wilderness from the conquerors. Or maybe it was the other way around; Nuri had never known it for sure. Every thirty meters, there was a bunker in the middle of the road in case the walkers needed a refuge very quickly. Thank God they didn’t need them right now.

Many soldiers have lost their faith on Erebus, but Nuri wasn’t one of them. If anything, the years spent in this hostile world strengthened his beliefs. He had faced death too many times to not appreciate every second he spent alive because as far as he knew, it could have been the last moment of his life.

The five hundred meters tall pyramid grew bigger with every step they made towards it. There were nine big islands on Erebus, a pyramid of the Na-ghok on each. Nuri had never seen the other ones but he had seen enough of this one not to wish it at all. The Great Pyramid was an endless labyrinth of chambers and dangerous traps. They had started exploring it three years ago and there was still no sign of the end of their job. With its completely flat sides, it was the subject of huge interest for architects and archeologists but to Nuri it was a monster that had taken all his best friends.

Once he had reached the point where he had realized that there was no point in making friends on Erebus because you never knew when you saw anyone for the last time. Thinking about love was a ridiculous idea and Nuri would have never gone that far. Of course he checked out his colleagues just to give him something to think about under the shower and sometimes he found relief in the arms of someone else but it was casual sex and nothing to do with affection or feelings. Nuri had almost forgotten what it actually felt like.

They reached the pyramid and now its shadow fell over them, blocking the sun’s light completely. Nuri took a deep breath and ordered his squad to stop. He heard Sven turn around to check that nothing was behind them. It was useless; the biggest danger was waiting right in front of them, in the cold darkness of the Na-ghok’s masterpiece.

“Okay, now let’s split up! Lieutenant Bender, you take– Dr. Durm, right?” He asked and the brunette nodded. “Matze, go with them, just in case! Mats and İlkay, you stay here and look out for any unwanted attack. If you see something approaching, let us know and retreat inside the pyramid!” He was so used to giving orders that he didn’t even realize that he was practically shouting all the time. But as he turned to the other archeologist, his features softened and he took care to keep down his voice, too. “That leaves me and Dr. – ”

“Reus.” The blonde finished the sentence for him, a huge smile forming on his lips. “But please call me Marco.”

“So that leaves me and Dr. Reus for the other group. We’ve got one hour before darkness and we won’t wait for anyone.” He warned everyone and they entered the pyramid.

He had been enough times there not to be fascinated by the various drawings on the walls or the huge rotunda perfused with light in the exact middle of the pyramid. The very tip of the building was open and from there a complex system of mirrors forwarded the light into almost every corner. Every passageway led ultimately here and it at least made the explorers’ job a bit easier. It was still hard not to get lost in the countless chambers and narrow corridors though.

“Alright, let’s go! We’ll meet again in forty-five minutes!” Nuri announced and he watched as Sven turned around and led Matze and Erik through the gate leading to the northern part of the pyramid.

“This is amazing!” Marco was still scanning through the wall drawings. “I’ve seen it already at school but it was a simulation and nothing like the real deal.”

“Yeah.” Nuri said unimpressed. “But maybe you should concentrate on finding new things instead of observing old knowledge.”

He didn’t wait until the archeologist answered. He started off towards the gate next to the one that Sven’s task force had used. Only Marco’s quick steps reassured him that the blonde was following him.

This part of the pyramid had been explored the most; they had deactivated the traps – either willingly or by accident. But Nuri still proceeded very carefully, watching his step and he could only hope that the man behind him wasn’t such a fool to not follow his example. Major Şahin glanced at the blueprint in the little computer on his wrist that led them to the place of Marco’s task.

It took them five minutes to get there and Nuri stopped Marco before the doorway. He grabbed a rock from the floor of the passageway and threw it into the room. Just like it had happened with every other chamber, this one suddenly lit up as if someone had switched on the lights.

It was a medium sized chamber with a statue in the middle and lots of writing on the walls. Apparently, the Na-ghoks thought that rock was the most durable surface for recording their knowledge. The room had four doors in every major division of the compass. Nuri stepped inside and walked down the stairs carefully. Everything seemed peaceful but he didn’t let it fool him. They had lost many people who could be persuaded too easily.

He slowly cruised all the way around the chamber, brushing the walls with his shoulder. But no traps were activated. When he returned back to his starting point, he ran up the stairs.

“Okay, you can come down.” He told Marco. “But don’t go away from the walls yet!” He warned him and they entered the chamber.

Dr. Reus did as he had been told. He didn’t go far; he lost himself in the writings while Nuri started to explore the chamber, this time in a smaller circle. Something troubled him. Not every room had traps but this one definitely smelled like one. And yet, he didn’t see any signs that would give away a trap. But then, that was their point. The walls were completely flat, the ceiling and the floor too. The statue didn’t look threatening at all and Nuri relaxed a little bit. Maybe the years spent on Erebus had made him paranoid. He lowered his gun and in that moment he realized what he had forgotten.

“Don’t–” He started to shout but it was already too late.

All he heard was the sound of thick barriers closing every entrance; stone hitting stone and– human flesh…

And then came a scream of agony.


	2. Trapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am with the second chapter, I hope you will like it. Please, tell me what do you think about it because this sci-fi setting is new ground to me and I'm not sure how I am doing. :-)

Nuri didn’t want to look at the archeologist. The sound of the doors pinning him to the stone wall was horrible enough and he definitely didn’t want to see it. But his instincts took over and he faced the blonde before his scream was over.

The door had caught Marco’s left arm and now it vanished below his elbow. But luckily, there was a gap between the door and the wall. The huge rock that was meant to close all entrances to the chamber was strong enough to simply crush the scientist’s arm, crippling him for the rest of his life. But the ancient mechanics moving the doors must have been damaged and Nuri was utterly grateful for that. Nothing was more disgusting than a limb cut in half, he knew that from experience.

_This is my fault_ , he kept repeating in his head, because his mind wasn’t able to think about anything else. But his body started to act on its own and he walked to the door, and tried to move it just a centimeter so Marco could get his arm out of this press. But the rock remained motionless and the blonde’s cries became more desperate.

Nuri moved to the middle of the chamber and grabbed a smaller rock. It felt as if he was only observing himself from outside. He pushed the stone between the wall and the door, not much lower than Marco’s arm, hoping that it would at least ease the pressure on the blonde’s limb.

“Better?” He asked when the rock was firmly pressed between the two massive stone blocks.

“God, Nuri, it hurts so much!” Marco said with trembling lips, his voice full of pain, despair and he almost begged to the major.

Nuri looked at him helpless; there wasn’t much he could do. He reached into his medical kit and got out a syringe. Marco’s eyes went wide but Nuri calmed him down. He brought it to the blonde’s intact biceps and inserted the needle into the archeologist’s skin. The fluid that slowly got into his blood stream would give him some relief, but it was only temporary. It was a very strong painkiller. Nuri could inject it now and then eight hours later. After that, Marco would ask for it. And then ask for it again and again.

“Can you move your fingers?” Nuri asked Marco who looked at him bewildered. “Your left hand.” Marco tried it and flinched as a new wave of pain ran through his body from the movement. “Good.” Nuri nodded. “I know it is painful, but you will have to do it now and again, to keep your blood circulating.”

“Now and again?” Marco cried out, but his eyes were already sluggish. The painkiller was kicking in. “How long are we going to be here? When are you going to ask for help on that fucking radio!?”

“Listen to me, smartass!” Nuri yelled back. “If you had taken care in college, you would know that the Na-ghok’s traps close out any sound and radio waves. We are on our own, thanks to you! How could you be that stupid to try and go to the next chamber? You should have known better!”

“Hey, you told me not to get away from the walls and I haven’t!” Marco snapped and Nuri couldn’t argue with that. The blonde was right, but he had always been bad at admitting his mistakes. If only he had known that he would make a lot of mistakes the next hours!

An awkward silence fell between them and Nuri tried once again to move the unmovable rock, just so that Marco saw that he was trying. It was pointless and he didn’t expect any results. But he needed to hold onto something, he couldn’t give up, even if there was no chance they would leave this chamber alive. His ‘Nuri’ part had already lost all hope; it was only major Şahin who kept fighting.

“And what about Erik and Sven? When they go back to that rotunda and see that we are not there, they will–”

“They will stick to my orders and leave for the base just like we would do in their place.” Nuri said calmly, surprised by his own balance. He didn’t want Marco to believe in something that wasn’t going to happen. The blonde hadn’t understood the seriousness of their impossible situation.

“But Sven must be your friend! And Erik is mine! He won’t leave me here!” Marco shook his head, sticking to his theory and Nuri couldn’t blame him. Actually, it hurt him to dispel the scientist’s hopes.

“Lieutenant Bender knows that there are no friends when you are fighting for your own life. And your colleague can’t do much, either. Suppose they start searching for us! They don’t know where we are. This chamber is not on their map and even if they get close, we can’t let them know about us. The walls will drown our voices and these doors look like walls from the outside. No, Dr. Reus, we are on our own.”

“No, this can’t be true!” Marco shouted.

He started to yank his arm in despair, hurting himself over and over again, trying to break loose, obviously ignorant of his pain. There was no wonder; the medication Nuri had given him was strong indeed. It was heroin 2.0. It erased all pain, but at the same time, it let the person focus completely. Marco kept struggling and Nuri feared he was going to hurt himself even more. He told him to stop, but it was useless, so he bent forward and slapped the blonde hard.

“I’m sorry, Marco, but the situation is bad already. I don’t want to deal with a shocked man.” He explained his action. The other one looked at him dumbfounded but he finally nodded.

“Thank you.”

“I know it is hard to accept, but there is no way they are going to help us.” Nuri said and he said it sincerely because he had had a hard time accepting it himself. It was only his military instincts that took control and stopped him from freaking out the way Marco had done. “It is getting dark soon; they will go back to the base now. Maybe, just maybe, they might come back tomorrow, but the chances of them finding us are almost non-existent. Unless they get into the chamber next door and see your hand.”

“No, that chamber had only this entrance as far as I saw it.” Marco shook his head. He was finally thinking rationally and Nuri was grateful for it. He was going to need his help if they wanted to beat the odds and survive somehow. “Are we going to die, Nuri?” He asked suddenly and the major looked at him horrified. It was his toneless voice that scared him the most. It had lost all its despair and pain; it was simply detached and Nuri could only hope that it was because of the injection.

“No, we aren’t going to die.” Nuri smiled at him, but it felt so false to him, too. “We will find a way out, but we have to get your arm out of there, first.”

“You don’t have to fool me!” Marco shouted out and he was angry all of a sudden. “I know you can’t get me out of here and you stand a chance only if you leave me behind!”

“Oh, stop that, will you?” Nuri sprung up and walked away from the blonde. He couldn’t listen to his visions and theories, most importantly because Nuri was blaming himself. He had gotten them in this situation and he was going to get them out of here, he promised to himself. “I’ve never left a man behind and I won’t leave _you_ here! This situation could be worse. We could be dead already, crushed by the ceiling or shot with a poisoned arrow.”

“Yeah, because starving to death is so much better.” Marco mocked him.

“We are not going to starve to death!” Nuri yelled, taking a break between every word. “I’ve got water and a few pills that can fill us with energy.” _And if things get out of control, I’ve got two bullets for us_ , he added to himself.

Marco started to rub his chest above his heart, he must have felt pain there, and he suddenly stopped as if he had just realized something. He reached under his clothes and sighed satisfied when he had found what he had been looking for.

“This is it!” He shouted with joy. “Our heart monitors! They will receive life signals from us in the base and they will know that we are alive!” He almost hurrayed.

“No.” Nuri said dryly and Marco looked at him shocked. “The monitors work with radio waves and they ceased to be useful the moment we crossed the threshold of this fucking pyramid. As I’ve said already: we are alone.”

“And what are we going to do?” Marco asked. His iris and pupil were so small that his eyes looked almost entirely white. The horror and hopelessness had reached his mind.

“First, I will check the chamber for other traps. I don’t think I will find anything, but better be safe than sorry.” Nuri checked his watch. “It’s getting dark already, we don’t have much time.”

With that, he stood up and started to explore the floor, looking for loose tiles or secret triggers. He knew he wasn’t going to find anything; if the chamber held any further surprises, he would have activated them already, because after the door had trapped Marco, Nuri ran up and down carelessly. He was trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip but he simply couldn’t let Marco know that they were completely helpless and that he had no idea what to do. That would have had catastrophic consequences with the blonde losing his common sense completely.

“Are there any signs on the floor?” Marco asked.

“Yes.” Nuri nodded.

“Here.” Nuri turned around and saw the scientist getting what looked like a camera from his pocket. “Take a few pictures.”

“Dr. Reus, I don’t think this is the right time for doing archeological research–”

“I don’t need it for that!” Marco shook his head. “But maybe they say something about the trap and how to open the doors again.”

Nuri opened his mouth to object, but in the end, he reached for the small device. After all, what he was doing wasn’t much more useful, either. Actually, Marco’s idea was more enticing. He quickly took a snapshot of every engraved floor tile and gave the camera back to the scientist. The chamber was getting dark very quickly and soon it was only the display of the small device that illuminated the room.

“Found anything?” He slumped down next to the blonde.

“Nothing. This had to be a sacral chamber; these tiles tell a tale of an ancient hero. Nothing of importance.” He sighed disappointed and exhausted.

“Hey, Marco, don’t give up. You tried your best. Tomorrow I will take pictures of the walls and maybe you will find something.”

“Not with this one.” Marco shook his head. “I forgot to charge it before we left the base and the battery is low.”

To give emphasis to his words, the camera turned off automatically. Marco cried out angrily and shoved the device towards one of the corners. It hit the wall and broke into a thousand pieces with a loud crash.

“How is your arm?” Nuri asked instead.

“It’s not worse. The medication still works and I don’t feel any pain.”

“Did you move your fingers? Can you feel them?”

“Yes.” Marco nodded. “I didn’t forget about your instructions, don’t worry.” He added mockingly.

“I’m sorry, I’m only trying to help.”

“Yes, I know and I should apologize.” Marco looked at his feet and yawned.

“You should get some sleep.” Nuri pointed out.

“I don’t think I will be able to get some sleep. I’m in an awkward position and I can’t move much.” Marco snorted.

“Let me help you.” Nuri got up.

He got past a clueless Marco and he slipped between the blonde and the ‘doorframe’. He pushed his back against the cold wall and sat down on a rock that was there.

“Sit and lean against me.” He whispered and Marco obeyed. His legs must have been very tired after standing for hours straight. “Is it good this way?”

“Yes, thank you.” Marco sighed contentedly and he closed his eyes already.

“Would you want some water?” Nuri asked and the blonde nodded.

The major reached for his bottle, opened it and gave it to Marco. He grabbed it thankfully and started to drink the liquid in huge gulps. When he returned it to Nuri, the bottle was already half empty.

“Aren’t you going to drink?” Marco asked.

“Nah, I’m not thirsty.” Nuri lied. He was longing for the cool water, but Marco had drunk more than he had planned for both of them.

Marco nestled in Nuri’s lap and he rested his head on the major’s shoulder. Nuri breathed in his shampoo and suddenly his manhood reacted to the wonderful scent. He quickly started to clench his fist quickly to stop the blood gathering in his groin. A few seconds later, Marco was breathing evenly, snoring quietly.

Nuri started to think hard. He was locked in a chamber of a civilization that had vanished millennia ago. There was no chance that he would get out of here and yet, the slim male body so close to his made him– _happy_. It made no sense but still, his body’s reaction was unambiguous.

“What was this?” Marco was startled awake by a howl.

“Let’s just say that we had good reasons to retreat to the base for the night. But don’t worry about it; I will look after you, Marco.” He said tenderly and he didn’t even know why, but he placed his hand on the blonde’s head and started to stroke his hair. His gentle touch seemed to have worked because a minute later, Marco was asleep again.

If he had told Marco what that howl meant, the blonde couldn’t have fallen asleep. Erebus held a lot of dangers and the pyramid couldn’t keep out all of them. Nuri got out an energy pill from his medical kit. He couldn’t give himself the luxury of dozing off, because it would cost them their lives.


	3. Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Blue Night, I'm ready with another update to your gift, I hope you will enjoy it and it will make you smile at least a bit. :-)
> 
> My dear readers, thank you for giving a chance to my little story, I hope you haven't come to regret your decision to start with it in the first place. Please, let me know if you like it or not, your opinion is the most important to me.

Nuri was startled awake and he knew that something was wrong. Of course something was wrong: he had fallen asleep and he hadn’t just dozed off, because the chamber’s night darkness gave place to the dawn’s grayness. But something else was wrong, too and it took Nuri a few seconds to realize, what it was. The nights on Erebus were very cold and the dawns icy and yet, he felt warm. Not just warm, it felt as if the world around him was on fire.

He looked around and understood that it wasn’t the air around him that was burning; it was Marco whom he still held tight in his arms. The blonde had a very high fever and his head hung low. He was mumbling unintelligible half-sentences and Nuri didn’t have to be an expert in medicine to know that his state had gotten worse during the night.

“Marco! Marco!” He whispered, jogging the other one gently.

“What’s wrong, Nuri?” Marco jerked up his head, but his alertness didn’t last long. “God, I’m so cold!”

“You must have a fever, Marco.” Nuri said calmly. “I need you to stand up so I can make sure.”

Marco slowly got up, clearly annoyed by the loss of contact with the major. Nuri could now face him and he saw immediately that his suspicion had been right: Marco’s face was red and his forehead was soaking wet with sweat. Nuri reached for his flashlight and directed it towards Marco’s trapped arm. He examined it closely.

“Shit!” He exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Marco asked startled. He turned his head towards his elbow, but Nuri stopped him. Seeing what he was seeing wouldn’t have done good to Marco right now.

“When the door hit your arm, it must have torn open your skin. Some dirt must have gotten into the wound and now it’s inflamed.” _And I was a fool not to look for it right away_ , Nuri added to himself. “I need to clean it, otherwise it could cause a sepsis.”

“What?” Marco stammered and his pupil seemed to vanish in a split second. Nuri was expecting him to try to get his arm out of the press again, but Marco didn’t move. “Do you have to cut it off?” He whined.

“No, Marco, don’t worry!” He placed a hand on Marco’s cheek automatically and rubbed it gently, he didn’t even know, why. But it worked, the blonde relaxed a bit but at the same time, Nuri got more afraid. Marco’s face was really on fire. “Could you hold this for me?”

He gave the flashlight to Marco and reached in his medical kit again. He kept rummaging in it and then finally pulled out another syringe of painkiller and a small bottle of antiseptic. It was already late for that, with the germs already in Marco’s body, but at least he could stop further inflammation. He brought the bottle to Marco’s wound and then stopped. He looked concerned at the blonde who had closed his eyes and was mumbling a silent prayer.

“This is going to hurt.” Nuri warned him but it was completely needless. The fear was visible on the archeologist’s face.

“Just do it!” Marco hissed through gritted teeth.

Nuri nodded and poured the content of the bottle on Marco’s red skin. The blonde cried out in pain. Major Şahin wanted to calm him down, reassure him that everything was going to be alright, that the pain would ease soon, but he wasn’t sure if this was going to be the case. If the inflammation was as serious as it looked like, Marco’s suffering had just begun. Nuri had been injured enough times to know that it could go either way from here. He cast a glance at the scientist again. He had to get him out as soon as possible; he couldn’t stand the agony ruining those perfect features.

“Please, give me again from that painkiller!” Marco pleaded.

Nuri’s heart missed a beat. He made sure that the antisepsis had covered every square millimeter of Marco’s wound and then checked the time. It was too early for the painkiller to wear off and he wasn’t sure if he should give Marco another dose already. But one more glance at the younger one persuaded him. He reached for the syringe, disposed of its protective wrapping and inserted the needle under Marco’s skin.

“Thank you.” The blonde sighed contentedly and Nuri had to swallow down a desperate cry.

He waited until Marco’s fragile body relaxed and the archeologist closed his eyes as the drug got the better of him. Tears would have welled in Nuri’s eyes by the sight but he was dehydrated, his lips were chapped and he longed for just a few drops of water. He looked at his bottle wistfully. His hand reached for it but he managed to stop himself. Marco needed the cooling liquid more than Nuri did.

He stood up and started to examine the walls again, brushing over the cold stone bricks with his fingers. The chamber was getting lighter and with the deflected sunrays, Nuri’s hope returned. It was no more than a glimmer, but definitely something he could hold onto.

“What are you doing?” Marco broke the stillness. Nuri had thought that he had been asleep and now looked at him with a faint smile.

“Look, in the evening, it got darker and now it’s getting lighter.” He said. Uttering these words was so relieving.

“And?” Marco looked at him ignorantly.

“Don’t you get it? That means that sunshine can still get into this chamber somehow! Ergo, there must be a way out!” Nuri yelled cheerfully. “I just need to find it.”

“What?” Marco jerked up his head and his face lit up a little bit but it was barely visible through his fever.

“We can get out of here, Marco!” He said it straightforwardly.

Marco opened his mouth but a sudden cough attack stopped him from speaking. Nuri rushed to him and put the bottle of water to his mouth.

“Here, drink!” He said and the archeologist accepted the offer gratefully. He swallowed the water in huge gulps, a drop running down from the corner of his mouth. Nuri reached out and stopped it with his finger. He could feel Marco’s stubble. The blonde stopped drinking and locked his eyes with Nuri’s. The major blushed and withdrew his finger and the bottle, too. It was nearly empty.

“You haven’t drunk.” Marco noted dryly.

“It’s okay.” Nuri smiled but he found it hard to stop himself from drinking the remainder right away or at least lick that one drop off his fingertip.

He stood up instead and continued his previous activity. He needed to find that hollow as soon as possible and more importantly, he needed something to get his mind off the beautiful man observing him from behind.

“Do you have a piece of paper?” Nuri turned back suddenly.

“Yes, why?” Marco asked. He reached into one of the many pockets of his protective vest and pulled out a small notebook. Nuri ran to him, and tore out a page. He walked back to the wall and held the sheet up. He started to circle the chamber, looking for the slightest movement of the paper.

He had made only four steps when the top of the paper bent towards him. He dropped the sheet and tiptoed, holding up his hand. He almost started to cry when he felt a light breeze between his fingers. But it couldn’t be true. He was standing in front of a solid wall. There were no signs of any ducts. He made a step forward and wanted to put his hand against the brick. Only, there was no brick. His hand moved further and further and now it looked as if it was _in_ the wall. This time, Nuri cried out.

“What’s wrong?” Marco asked startled. He couldn’t see Nuri well from his position because the statue was between them.

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.” Nuri had trouble speaking. “I’ve found it, Marco! I’ve found the way out!” He whispered.

“What?” Marco stammered disbelievingly. “But where?”

“It was concealed with an optical illusion. But it’s there, my hand is right in it! I just have to take a better look at it.”

He glanced around in the chamber, searching something he could stand on and examine the duct. There were a few rocks on the floor that, if placed on each other, would serve well as a foundation. He started with the rock behind Marco’s back. He slowly rolled it to the wall on the other side of the room. It was a tiresome job and he felt really exhausted after an hour of carrying rocks. No wonder, he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since lunch the previous day.

“Nuri?” Marco asked him cautiously when he took a little break.

“Yes?”

“I need to pee.” Marco admitted sheepishly.

“Then do it.” Nuri shrugged.

“But I can’t do it when you’re around.”

“Well I’m sorry, but I’m out of options here.” The major snapped. Was the other one joking?

“Um, could you please go to that far corner? Maybe I will be able to do it then.” Marco asked. He sounded like a little boy.

“For fuck’s sake, Reus!” Nuri exclaimed but he started off towards the corner furthest from Marco, keeping his eyes fixed on the wall. “I thought you were a grown-up man!”

Marco didn’t answer. Nuri could hear him struggling with his zipper; he must have had a hard time using only his free hand. But, he managed somehow and a few seconds later an unmistakable sound echoed between the walls. Nuri had to bite down on his lower lip to stop himself from laughing. It was a ridiculous scene; they were trapped in a giant pyramid and only an hour ago Nuri wouldn’t have betted on them ever getting out alive. And now, when he might have found a solution for their situation, it turned out that Marco was a prudish chap when it came to such a natural matter as urinating.

“What, I have to shake it for you?” Nuri mocked him amused when the sound of liquid hitting rock stopped.

“Please, don’t make it more embarrassing than it already is!” Marco snapped and Nuri could imagine the bright red color of his face.

“I’m sorry. Are you done?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Nuri nodded and resumed his efforts, careful not to look at Marco. Another thirty minutes had passed before he was finally finished and he could stand up on the rocks he had piled up. He had measured the result of his work unsure. It didn’t seem very stable and if he would fall down and brake his ankle or hit his head, they would definitely die in this chamber. As if Marco was reading his thoughts, he spoke up weakly.

“Be careful.”

“I’m always careful.” Nuri retorted and he stood up on the pile with a confident step. The heap wasn’t stable at all and he had to focus hard to keep his balance. But most importantly, it was high enough for him to look into the duct.

“Shit!” He exclaimed as a strong sunbeam blinded him. He almost lost his footing but he somehow managed to stay on the rocks.

“What’s wrong?” Marco asked scared.

“This stupid mirror!” He bent down, grabbed a stone and threw it into the duct. It hit the mirror and smashed it into a million pieces.

The chamber fell dimmer but it wasn’t completely dark, what meant that there were other sources of light, too. Nuri could take another glance. He was looking into a meter wide horizontal tube that was ended by a column of sunshine. He was so grateful for it, because after hours of being trapped, he finally saw something that reminded him of the world outside. He wasn’t claustrophobic, but the night had taken its toll.

“What do you see?” Marco asked.

“A duct leading into a wider duct. I might be able to climb out and then come out in another chamber.”

“What?” Marco cried out. “Are you leaving me?”

Nuri jumped down on the floor and walked to the blonde. “Look, Marco. I will come back for you, but I have to climb out. I will call help and we will come back for you immediately.”

“No, you can’t leave me, Nuri, you can’t do that!” Marco whined. “If the light gets in, it must get out. We could send them signals.”

“But we would have to wait until it was dark with that.” Nuri shook his head.

“But– what if you slip and fall? What will you do, then? What will happen to me?” His voice was desperate.

“Marco.” Nuri said calmly. “I won’t fall. I will get out of this pyramid and come back for you. We will free your arm and you will be alright. I _promise_.” Marco didn’t say anything but Nuri could see that he had understood there was no other option. “Here, have you ever shot in your life?” He gave his pistol to Marco.

“No.” Marco said startled.

“Okay. You won’t have to, but better be safe than sorry.” Nuri nodded. “You’ve got a little water, too.”

“Nuri? Could you give me one more syringe of that painkiller?” Marco’s pupils were dilated.

“Marco I don’t think you should–”

“You can’t know how long you’ll be away!” He snapped.

“Okay.” Nuri gave in, getting the syringe out of his medical kit. “But don’t inject it before it gets dark, okay? You can insert it anywhere but your left arm.” He gave his quick instructions. “I should go know.” He sighed and Marco nodded.

The major walked back to their only chance and climbed the heap. He took a deep breath and entered the duct, crawling forward on all four.

“Nuri, wait!” He heard Marco’s voice from behind.

“What?” He jerked his head up only to bang it to the top of the channel.

“The mirror above you! You must break it before you start climbing so it won’t blind you.”

“Yeah, thanks, I knew that!” Nuri lied to him. He hadn’t thought of that but he wasn’t going to admit it to Marco.

He grabbed his machine gun and shot a single bullet. For a few seconds, he could only hear the echoes of the loud bang but then he heard a mirror breaking and its pieces falling down. He waited until the splinters passed him and he counted the seconds until they hit the ground. Seven seconds. That meant that the pit below him was two and a half hundred meters deep and if he fell, he would hit the ground with roughly the same velocity in kilometers per hours. Great prospects!

He tried to dispel the thought and continued crawling. The duct might have been deep, but it wasn’t much wider than the one conveying the light to the chamber. Nuri pushed his back against one of its walls and his legs against the opposing one and he started climbing up.

A few meters from him, Marco listened to Nuri struggling to get higher. The moans and sighs of the soldier got quieter as he ascended in the tunnel. Marco didn’t know how much time had passed, but the sounds suddenly stopped and Marco sighed happily. Nuri had found a passage out.

The next moment gunfire broke the heavy silence of the pyramid.


	4. Venom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It came a day later than I promised, but the next chapter is finally ready. There's not much dialogue in it, bot hopefully the action will keep it interesting enough. It contains my first ever 'action scene', so be aware, it might be boring and horrible. Please let me know what you think about it, it would be huge help for me, but most importantly: enjoy reading! :-)

Nuri’s legs ached and every centimeter he climbed was more laborious than the one before. He wanted to get as high as possible in the tube because the pyramid’s higher levels were better-mapped than the one they had gotten trapped on. Their mapping computers worked only one way: if they left an already explored chamber, the computer calculated their position in the pyramid based on their movement. If Nuri would enter a completely new chamber in an untouched area of the pyramid, he would be completely clueless where he should go.

But, his legs screamed no already. He didn’t know how much he had climbed and he didn’t want to look down. He wasn’t afraid of heights but he was afraid that he would see that ‘their’ chamber was only a few meters below him. He had passed five horizontal ducts; although they had been really hard to spot and there might have been a dozen others he hadn’t seen. But still, he had to climb higher to give himself better chances of surviving. To give _them_ better chances of surviving because he was acting for Marco as much as he was acting for himself.

He didn’t know what had gotten into him. He had never been a romantic type believing in love at first sight or that two people could click together perfectly instantly. For him, love had been something complicated and not really worth the trouble it had caused. What was the most it could offer? Sexual satisfaction? Nuri could get it with any soldier he wished to sleep with. He was a handsome man and he was well aware of this fact. So why would he need to _love_ anyone? He had never pursued more than sensual pleasures. And yet, he couldn’t think of Marco as someone he only wanted to take and claim in a rough one-night stand.

He had hated the blonde when he had trapped them in that chamber. He had been ready to punch him and leave him behind. But, Marco’s expression and his helplessness had made him reconsider his opinion and his feelings for the archeologist. He now felt bound to help him, to be the one taking care of him, the one protecting him from further pain. No one had ever messed with Nuri’s mind the way Marco had done and the blonde had been unaware of it.

The major crept a few centimeters higher again and as he pulled up his legs, his left foot slipped and for a moment he was sure that he would find his death in the darkest depths of the Na-ghok’s pyramid. But his instinct to survive kicked in and he managed to hold himself up somehow. He stopped for a few seconds, steadying his breath and position, making sure that there were no loose bricks around him. The blood was throbbing in his ears and he suddenly felt dizzy. Death had been always close on Erebus, but he had never felt it _this_ close. Ironically though, he wasn’t afraid of his own end. He was afraid of what he would leave behind. _Whom_ he would leave behind. Marco counted on him and he couldn’t let him down.

He pushed his feet against the wall again and slid higher, determined to leave through the next adjoining tube. He didn’t care where he would emerge and what was going to wait him there. He was going to take things one at a time and he was going to make it slowly but surely.

With his next push, he felt a hollow behind his back. Placing all his weight on just one hand, he used his other one to examine the tube. It was just like the one he had left their cell through. Finding his exit was the easier thing, now he had to slide in without falling. He kept searching for something he could hold onto and he found it in a tendril-like thing. It was sticky but Nuri didn’t worry. At least, he was going to have a better hold. He grasped the cane and started to pull himself inside.

It wasn’t as hard as he had expected it to be. Once his torso was lying on the floor of the duct, he knew that he had done it. He sat up as much as he could and exhaled heavily. At the same time, a whiff of air hit the back of his neck. It wasn’t the cold breeze that travelled through the channels. It felt as if it was the breath of something. Something very much alive…

Nuri spun around, already grabbing his gun, but his hand simply wouldn’t let go of the ‘tendril’. He managed to turn around enough though to see what was behind him. And his heart missed a beat. It was dim in the channel, but his eyes were used to the subdued light.

The cane wasn’t a cane at all, it was a gossamer, a strand of the cobweb of the ugliest spider Nuri had ever seen. They called them spiders, but they didn’t resemble those at all. The soldiers on Erebus had met them many times and not many encounters had ended well for the colonizers. These animals – although this time, Nuri could think about them only as monsters – were as big as a medium sized dog, and they had sixteen legs. As if it wasn’t enough, all of their legs ended in a claw they used to grasp their prey and inject their venom into it. And Nuri could see in this spider’s all eight eyes that he was going to be its lunch.

The major held out his machine gun but the spider shoved it away and charged at Nuri. It was used to its environment and moved in the tube easily. The distance between them was getting smaller and smaller and falling down into the abyss didn’t seem such a bad option any longer. But Nuri wasn’t going to give up. He reached for his knife he always held in his boot with his free arm and brought it out. With a swift move, he cut the strand holding him in place and then he threw the knife blindly at his attacker. It hit the spider in one of its eyes and the monster recoiled, giving Nuri time to search for his gun. It wasn’t very far, but it was caught in the web covering all the walls of the duct.

He didn’t give himself time to think. He jumped to the gun and grabbed it, trying to free it, but it was impossible. The spider had recovered in the meantime and was planning its second attack. Its first legs were only a few centimeters away from Nuri and with a sudden jerk, it stretched it forward and the sharp claws brushed against Nuri’s skin, leaving a small cut on his left arm.

It had to be the adrenaline in his blood, but Nuri finally freed his firearm and he started shooting without even aiming. The next moment, a desperate cry filled Nuri’s ears. It was high-pitched whining and it hurt him, but he didn’t want to stop and he didn’t want to look. He only opened his eyes when he ran out of bullets.

The spider was lying on its stomach, its legs spread out in every direction. But most importantly, it was dead. Nuri couldn’t withhold himself and he started to cry. The tears rolled down his cheeks in uncontrollable streams and he didn’t want to hold them back. He wasn’t an emotional man and his training had prepared him for such situations, but the last day had taken its toll on him and his nerves were a wreck.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, grieving over his life and his situation. But, his eyes went dry eventually and he composed himself with a few deep breaths. He remembered Marco. He must have heard the gunshots and he must have been worried that something bad had happened to him. Nuri walked to the edge of the duct and looked down.

“Marco, I’m fine!” He yelled, but it sounded so pathetic compared to the pyramid’s great silence.

He picked up his gun he had dropped on the floor and started off. He was careful not to step on the sider or to touch its web. The world outside hadn’t seemed so close since long hours and he wanted to stop. It was a hard advancement and it felt almost as long as his climb. But eventually, he reached the end of the tunnel and he jumped into the chamber that it led to. He looked around and waited.

And then, the computer on his wrist beeped. Nuri let out a sigh, although he wanted to shout that moment. The computer had localized him. He wasn’t lost anymore, there was a way out of there. He looked at the display attached to his arm and he inspected the map in front of him thoroughly. He nodded satisfied. He had always been good at navigation and he knew where he had to go.

He started off towards the exit, not only jogging, but running, forgetting any precaution or carefulness. He wasn’t going to spend more time in this pyramid than it was necessary. Three minutes later, he reached familiar rooms. Four more minutes and he was standing in the middle of the huge rotunda, his heart racing and full of joy. The pyramid’s entrance was perfused with light and Nuri thought it very adequate. It was literally redeeming to leave the darkness behind and step onto the light.

Nuri flinched as the sunrays hit him directly but he couldn’t mind them. He was free and only a few hundred meters were between him and the base. He was going to get there, he would get his squad and they would come back for Marco. They would free his arm and Nuri would tell him how he felt about him. Only a few hundred meters.

He took a step and suddenly, all strength left him. He stumbled and he fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but his whole body protested and his left arm hurt maddeningly. After three more attempts, he gave up and he sat up. He looked at his arm and he almost threw up.

The wound where the spider had cut him was _green_ and his blood around it black. Some of the monster’s venom must have gotten into his bloodstream. What a fool he had been! His running had only sped up the process of the venom getting into his heart and from there, it had free passage to every part of the major’s body.

There was a lump in Nuri’s throat. He had gone through so much, he had survived so much and he was going to end it there? Just a step away from being saved? No, he wasn’t going to let the bastard defeat him! He might die, but he wasn’t going to let Marco die in that chamber. He placed all his weight on his healthy arm and he slowly got up. He was dizzy and the world was spinning around him. His legs were shaking but they were still strong enough to hold him. Just one step at a time. He would make it.

But every step was harder and he was starting to lose hope. He fell to the ground again and this time, he didn’t bother to stand up. He kept crawling in all four, fighting for his life. For _Marco’s_ life. Tears welled up in his eyes from the strain and the world was getting darker and darker.

“Only five more minutes! Give me five minutes and you can take my life!” Nuri started to negotiate with his god. He must have been listening to him, because Nuri heard footsteps. Were they real or was he only hallucinating? No, they were military boots hitting the ground in unison.

“Quick folks, there he is!” Manni’s voice.

Two strong arms grabbed him and pulled him up, but Nuri lost his balance. Sven gave up on lifting him, he placed his head in his lap instead and started to slap his face gently.

“Come on, Nuri. Talk to me! Everything will be alright! We will save you, do you hear me?” He was desperate.

“No.” Nuri grumbled. His lips were dry and he was about to lose his conscience. “Marco. He’s alive! Must save him.” Every word was torture to him.

“It’s okay, Nuri. You’re in good hands now.” Lieutenant Bender didn’t listen to him at all. He must have thought that he was mumbling nonsense.

“No!” Nuri snapped, using the last reserves of his organism. He pushed away Sven’s soothing hands and looked his brother-in-arm in the eyes. “Dr. Reus! He’s trapped! Take my map. Manni, you _have_ _to_ save him.”

_I love him_ , Nuri thought and he wasn’t sure if he uttered those words or not. He lost his conscience and fell into a dark dream.


	5. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you who read my little story even though it might be not that fluffy. I'm sorry to say it, but this chapter won't be much brighter either, but I hope you will be fine with that. I will make it up to you with the finale, I promise. :-)  
> Dear Blue Night! I'm sorry, this story was supposed to bring some happiness into your tough days and in the end I ended up writing gloomy and dark things for you. I hope you don't mind it very much and you still like this gift. :-)

Marco held back his breath and tried to listen to the slightest sound that would tell him that Nuri was alright. It felt like hours had passed since he had heard the gunshots but he was sure that in fact, it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. The pyramid fell silent again and Marco could hear his heart beating in a mad pace. The drug Nuri had given him made his arm numb, but he was completely alert at the same time and nothing could have slipped his attention. Only, there was nothing going on in the stillness of the ancient building.

Marco had always loved the touch of history and there was plenty of it here. But, he had had enough of it. Everything felt so cold; the signs on the walls didn’t speak to him, they mocked him for his helplessness and stupidity. The rocks didn’t radiate the life that had pervaded these chambers; they were dumb and it sent chills down Marco’s spine. He would have felt weak and powerless in this pyramid even if he was free, but his trapped arm made things even worse.

“Nuri!” He let out a breathless prayer. The major was his only chance. He wanted to live, but who wouldn’t have? And yet, those gunshots had scattered all his hopes. He suddenly recognized the feeling that had circled around him ever since Nuri had left.

_He was alone and he was going to die._

The paintings on the walls weren’t mocking him; they were waiting patiently for him to join them in their ageless guarding of the Na-ghok’s memory. The rocks weren’t just cold; they were suffused with death. The statue that only an hour ago hadn’t seemed more than a reminder of an ancient hero was now calling Marco. He clenched his free hand and he felt something freezing cold and lifeless.

It was Nuri’s pistol. Marco looked at it bewildered, he had almost forgotten about it completely. He turned the gun around, observing it from every possible direction. A sudden idea crossed his mind and when he realized what it was, he threw away the pistol with a cry. The metal flew through the air and then fell to the ground with a thump.

“Congratulations, Reus. You now have nothing to defend yourself with in case something would decide to visit you in here.” A voice in his head mocked him.

It was right; he shouldn’t have gotten rid of the gun. He needed it. He felt even more vulnerable. There was no way he could retrieve it; it was too far away and there was nothing he could reach for it with. So if anything came into the chamber, he could throw a few small stones at it at most. But why would anything crawl into the room? Nothing had showed up in the last hours but something was different now. Marco knew the reason why he was afraid. When Nuri had shot the mirror, he had smashed the optical illusion covering the ducts leading to the chamber and it had been the only thing that had kept away the animals living in the pyramid. And there were a lot of them, because Marco had heard them crawling in the walls the whole night.

He searched desperately something that at least resembled a weapon or at least looked threatful enough to scare away unwanted intruders. He didn’t find anything, but his eyes locked up on the syringe lying next to him. It was still in its wrapping, protected from any kind of contamination.

“No, I cannot think of that.” He mumbled, hoping that if he said it out loud, it would have a bigger effect on him.

“Why not?” The voice in his head spoke up again. “It will be fun!”

“Stop it!” Marco wanted to snap, but he stopped himself from doing so when he realized what was going on.

Was he really going to argue– with himself? Was he going mad? What had gotten into him? He shouldn’t have let this place get the better of him. He needed to keep his calmness and reason. No, he wasn’t going to listen to anything or anyone, even if it was a part of his brain. Nuri had warned him and asked him to wait with the next dose until twilight. So he was going to do just that: resist the urge to grab that syringe and inject the relieving fluid.

He took a deep breath and tried to find something that would catch his attention. The walls were full of writings, but the signs were either too far to be distinguished, or Marco had already read them. He sighed. He was going to go nuts indeed. The silence was unbearable. While Nuri had been next to him, he had felt company. It hadn’t been a very pleasant company, but it had been something.

Not that he disliked the major; on the contrary, he found him smart, brave, competent and – why deny it? – attractive. Maybe it was Nuri’s exotic features, or the lurking bass undertone of his voice that had made Marco feel something more towards him than good-fellowship. But he had ruined everything with his stupid idea of inspecting the adjoining chamber. What had he been thinking, really? That there would be no traps? No, he wasn’t that dense. He had known that there would probably be traps, he had only forgotten about them. Or he hadn’t cared about them. Anyways, he had trapped both of them and Nuri had been angry at him rightly. And yet, he had fought for him. He had helped Marco and was now climbing or crawling somewhere to reach someone who could save the archeologist.

“Are you sure he’s still alive?” The mocking voice returned without any warning. “Because as far as I know, major Şahin can lie somewhere dead and stiff. Maybe some animals have already found his lifeless body and are now feasting on his corpse. Poor major! Fallen in action, such a tragic story. But at least he died as a hero, something to console the bereaved relatives. » _He was trying to save a man he was responsible for but ultimately killed them both._ «”

“Shut up!” Marco shouted. He didn’t want to hear more of it, no matter who or what was talking. He wanted to get these thoughts out of his head. He had to believe in Nuri and that he was still alive, fighting the last meters of the way to save Marco. He wasn’t going to let the slightest doubt creep into his mind.

“You know what would silence me…”

“No, I’m not going to do that!” Marco snapped. He was now talking to himself but he didn’t care. In fact, hearing his own voice was comforting because at least it broke the silence. It gave him the false feeling of not being alone.

“Come on, Marco! What holds you back? Just a little pinprick and there’ll be no more pain.”

As if to give emphasis to these unspoken words, his arm started to throb, each wave of pain stronger than the one before. Marco ground his teeth to stop it. He knew it wasn’t real; the shot Nuri had given him earlier in the morning must have still worked. It was just his brain playing tricks on him. He had to endure it and it would stop soon. At least he hoped so.

But, it didn’t. The pain got worse and worse and it felt as if his arm was on fire. Marco started to clench his fist despairingly. He hadn’t forgotten Nuri’s words; he needed to keep his blood circulating in his limb. And the blood was bound to dismiss the pain. It didn’t work. The pain got even worse and was now almost unbearable. Marco’s eyes wandered to the syringe on their own accord.

“Good.”

“But Nuri said I shouldn’t… That it’s dangerous… That I must wait until dusk…” Marco whined. He was losing this battle. The pyramid had broken his mind and his body was much stronger. It was a matter of time until he would give up and stop listening to any kind of reason.

“And how can you know that it’s not dusk already? You don’t know how much time has passed since Nuri left. Maybe the sun is setting and it’s getting dark. Tell me, Marco? Aren’t you afraid of the dark? All the dangers it holds. All the creepy things, the monsters?”

“Please, stop it!” Marco sobbed.

“Make me stop! Come on, you can do it, Marco!”

The blonde was now crying what was a wonder, given the lack of fluids in his body. He wanted to resist the need but he knew he couldn’t do it. His free hand reached for the syringe and he got rid of the wrapping. Before he knew it, he was pulling up the leg of his trousers and then, he inserted the needle under his skin. He pressed the plunger and pumped the painkiller into his body.

“Thank you, Marco.” The voice chuckled. “You won’t regret your decision.”

But Marco wasn’t convinced. His tears kept flowing until the medicine kicked in, a wave of numbness washing over his entire body. His legs went limp and he would have collapsed if his arm hadn’t held him up. He leaned back against the doorframe. It would have been a very uncomfortable position any other moment, but right now, Marco wasn’t feeling anything. And it felt so good.

His heart slowed down, maybe too much, his last coherent thought said before he drifted off and a warm and soothing darkness enveloped him. He might have been still trapped, but his brain was finally free. It was a sensation he couldn’t compare to anything. All the thoughts he had kept in the back of his mind, suddenly emerged, eager to get the attention they would have deserved long ago. They fought for dominance, but it didn’t feel overwhelming or tiring at all. Marco was only a silent observer, an outsider. And a happy one for that matter.

But then, something changed. The fears he had held back for a purpose, emerged too and turned his euphoria into a nightmare he couldn’t do anything about. He tried desperately to get free of the dark vortex of thoughts, but he was only hopelessly reaching for a way out. Dozens of images flushed in front of his eyes and they were so vivid that they seemed almost real.

His father, crippled in a workplace accident. The suffering of his family. The hardships of trying to keep their heads above the water. The misery and poverty they shared. Their container home in the middle of a slum. Marco leaning over a book in the middle of the night, fighting his eyes falling shut. His whole family working to pay for his education. The proud face of his father when he saw Marco graduating from the university.

And then came the visions. His crying mother once he goes back to Earth with only one arm. His father angry at him. His sisters giving all their money to take care of two cripples. The small chair in their kitchen and the lamp above it. The rope that encloses Marco’s neck, its grip getting tighter and tighter, blocking his airway–

“Dr. Reus!” Someone grabbed his hand. Was he dreaming or was it happening for real? Marco couldn’t tell. “Squeeze my hand.” Marco tried it, but there was no power in his muscles.

“Shit.” Came a distant voice. “Hurry up! Marco, hold on, we’re going to free you!”


	6. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the final chapter. I hope you will enjoy it and it will be a good ending to this story. Please, share your thoughts about it.  
> Dear Blue Night! You asked for some fluff and I hope you will love the amount I gave you here. I hope that you liked this fic and you accept this little gift as a way of me saying a huge thank you for all the things you've done for me. :-)

Darkness took over Marco and he fell into a state of being half-asleep. He perceived only faintly as someone put a rod in the gap between the wall and the door just above his arm. Only, this rod kept growing and it pushed away the door just a little bit and Marco could finally free his hand, although he needed someone to nudge him because he wasn’t in control of his body any more. Then, more rods appeared in the gap and the door started to move more quickly. It was half-open when a man – Marco knew he had seen him somewhere before – crawled under the rods and grabbed Marco below his shoulders.

“You are free now, Dr. Reus.” He said and that was all Marco needed to hear. He lost his conscience.

 

He woke up for a few seconds to the sun shining in his face. He was carried on a stretcher, two concrete walls passing him and a clear blue sky above his head. It must have been extremely hot, but, he felt cold. His fever hadn’t vanished and the sickness had weakened him. He dozed off again.

 

The next time he woke up, he was in a sterile hospital room. A neon lamp stabbed his eyes and an orchestra of medical instruments and monitors beeped into his ears. He was still tired, but he noticed that his fever was gone and he was feeling a lot better. The memories of the previous days returned to his mind and he quickly glanced to his left, afraid of what he would see there. He let out a relieved sigh when all he saw was his left arm, in bandages. But it was there and that was all that mattered to Marco. He put his head back on his pillow but another wave of panic washed over him the next second.

_Nuri!_ He didn’t know what had happened to the major. He must have reached Base 9, because otherwise, no help would have come for Marco. But, it wasn’t Nuri who had rescued him he was sure of it. He would have recognized his face. That lovely face. Marco reached for the panel next to his right hand and pressed a button, not even caring what it was for.

“I see you are awake!” A tall man in a white coat entered. “That’s good, although you should have a lot of rest in the next days. A few more minutes and we wouldn’t have been able to save you.”

“My arm.” Marco sighed. Talking was very difficult.

“Oh, I’m not talking about your arm. That was quite alright. We needed to clean the wound but other than that, there are no serious damages. Just a quick rehab, and it will serve you better than ever. It’s you who needed to be saved. Seriously, a nearly deadly amount of Hero2? What were you thinking?” The doctor shook his head disbelievingly.

“It hurt.” Marco whispered. He had wanted to defend himself against the doctor’s telling off, but he didn’t have enough strength to do it.

“I’m sure it did.” The other man smiled at him. “But, you are in good hands now and you are going to be fine.”

“Where–” Marco started, but his voice broke.

“You are in the ward of Base 9. I’m Doctor Kehl.”

“No.” Marco shook his head. This wasn’t what he wanted to know. “Major Şahin–” He said the name of the man he was worried about.

“He’s alright, too. He needed to be taken care of, too, but he’s already been discharged.”

Marco closed his eyes. He should have felt happy. Nuri was fine. But, there was a lump in his throat and his heart ached. Nuri was fine and he had already forgotten him. Marco was on the verge of crying and it was only the fatigue overwhelming him that stopped him.

 

The next hours (days? weeks?) were spent in a state between dreaming and being awake. Marco didn’t know how much time passed, but he was feeling better and his waking hours got longer every time. But no matter how much he was awake, he didn’t see Nuri. The major neglected him completely and Marco was afraid that he hated him. He would understand it. After all, he had trapped them and it had almost cost their lives. He wished Nuri would come though and tell him face to face. He could deal with it easier than with this state of uncertainty.

One day, Erik visited him. Marco tried to get some information from his friend, because the doctors couldn’t tell him anything. The young archeologist wasn’t smarter, either. He only shrugged when Marco asked him about Nuri. He hadn’t seen the major in days, he said. But, he had gotten very close with the young medic, Matze. Marco wanted to share his delight, but it was impossible. His body was healing, but his heart was breaking.

He was giving up hope and then, one evening, a man with strong build entered his room and Marco’s heart missed a beat. He recognized those steps immediately. The scent reached his nostrils secondly, and the instrument measuring his blood pressure signaled an elevation in his vital sign.

“Maybe I should leave.” Nuri snickered as he plopped down on the chair next to Marco’s bed.

“Don’t you dare do that!” Marco snapped vigorously. He had waited for this moment too long. “We need to talk, Nuri.”

“The right way to address me is major Şahin.” The other man pointed out and Marco didn’t know what to think about that. Was Nuri only joking with him, or was he serious? He needed to find out.

“Okay, major Şahin. What happened to you? No one told me.” Marco was desperate to get answers.

“I got injured saving your ass.” Nuri said. “There was a fucking spider in the walls and it bit me. I almost got killed, do you realize that?” He accused Marco.

“I’m sorry.” Marco mumbled. Nuri was speaking seriously; he hated him and it wasn’t as easy to accept as Marco had thought.

“Yeah, I’m sure you are!” Nuri mocked him. “And how do you repay my struggles and devotion? You nearly kill yourself, too! I’ve told you not to shoot that dose, Marco!” He snarled.

“I know, Nuri.” Marco whined. “But– my arm hurt and I was alone and afraid and I didn’t know what had happened to you. I heard gunfire and I was afraid that you were–”

“What do you mean by that? I called down to you and told you that I was okay.” Nuri snapped.

“I didn’t hear it.” Marco said in a trembling voice.

“Oh.” Nuri was taken by surprise. He certainly didn’t expect to hear this. “But I thought–” He started to explain, embarrassed.

“Well, you should have thought twice before jumping into conclusions!” Marco told him off. “If I had known that you were alright and help was near, I wouldn’t have used that dose, that’s for sure!”

“I know, Marco.” Nuri’s voice was so tender. “I’m sorry, I thought that– I was worried about you. The doctors said that your chances were very vague. I thought I was going to lose you, despite all the efforts and I was mad at you for being that stupid.”

“Oh really? So tell me, if you were that worried, how come you haven’t come to see me until now?” Marco called Nuri to account.

“I don’t know.” Nuri mumbled sheepishly, avoiding Marco’s eyes. “I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” Marco asked and Nuri finally looked at him.

“That I would lose you despite you getting better.”

“What? I– I don’t understand.”

“Okay, here it comes.” Nuri took a deep breath. “I love you, Marco. And I was afraid that if I told you, you would refuse me and that would kill me.”

“Nuri.” Marco sighed, relieved. “I love you, too. I’m truly sorry that you had to go through so many difficulties because of me, but at the same time, I’m glad that it happened. Otherwise, we might have never gotten this close. In the pyramid, it wasn’t just the door that trapped me. I was caught and trapped by you. But this time, I don’t want to break free.”

They beamed at each other, and Nuri’s eyes were dilated from the pure love and need he felt for Marco and had to keep back for so many days. He leaned over the blonde’s fragile body, and closed down the distance between them. Their lips were only a few centimeters apart when he stopped.

“May I?” He whispered.

“Yes, major Şahin.” Marco winked at him.

“Call me Nuri, please.” The other one said.

The next moment, the world ceased to exist for Marco. Their lips met and electric jolts ran down Marco’s spine. Nuri’s scent filled his nostrils and the major’s stubble scratched his face but it was a maddening feeling and was compensated for by the soft lips massaging Marco’s. It wasn’t the first kiss Marco had had, but it was the best one. It felt as if their lips were created only to please the other one. Wherever Marco needed to feel Nuri, he was there and when he opened his mouth, the major accepted the invitation immediately.

His tongue entered the sweet cavern of Marco’s mouth, starting a passionate dance with the blonde’s tongue. The younger one never wanted it to end. He had never thought that a man would kiss him with so much love and passion. Nuri was everywhere, but Marco never felt as if he was swallowing him. And when the major eventually drew back, Marco let out a frustrated groan.

“I’m sorry, Marco, but I’m on duty soon. I have to go now. But don’t worry, I _will_ come back. I love you and I want this kiss to happen over and over again. I will never leave you, babe because I was caught and trapped by you, too.”

 

THE END


End file.
